Bennington vs. University of Puget Sound

Should I go to Bennington College or University of Puget Sound? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bennington or University of Puget Sound is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Bennington College vs. University of Puget Sound comparison
Bennington College University of Puget Sound College 3 College 4
Bennington College University of Puget Sound
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Overview

Bennington University of Puget Sound
Location Bennington, VT Tacoma, WA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 867 1,914
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #194
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bennington.edu pugetsound.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bennington University of Puget Sound
Tuition (In State) $63,802 $59,340
Tuition (Out of State) $63,802 $59,340
Room & Board $18,640 $15,040
Avg Net Price $35,108 $42,301
Avg Grant Aid $47,860 $33,161
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

Bennington University of Puget Sound
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,825 5,548
Admitted 1,357 4,232
Acceptance Rate 48% 76.3%
Enrolled % 15.9% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/32 27/31
SAT Range 1290/1413 1185/1390
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Bennington University of Puget Sound
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Bennington University of Puget Sound
Graduation Rate 67% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,700 $57,600
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Bennington University of Puget Sound
% Men 2% 4%
% Women 8% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 74%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 13% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Bennington University of Puget Sound
% In-State 2% 23%
% Out-of-State 87% 77%

Campus

Bennington University of Puget Sound
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Puget Sound is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (1,914 students vs. 867 students)

Bennington vs. University of Puget Sound Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bennington or University of Puget Sound?

  • Bennington College is 7.5% more expensive to attend than University of Puget Sound for in-state tuition ($63,802.00 vs. $59,340.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.5% higher at Bennington than University of Puget Sound ($63,802.00 vs. $59,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bennington College than University of Puget Sound ($35,108 vs. $42,301)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Puget Sound are 23.9% lower than costs at Bennington College ($15,040 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Puget Sound than Bennington College (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 44.3% larger than aid received University of Puget Sound ($47,860 vs. $33,161)

Bennington vs. University of Puget Sound Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bennington or University of Puget Sound? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Puget Sound or Bennington .

  • Accepted freshman University of Puget Sound students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Bennington (3.51)
  • University of Puget Sound has a higher acceptance rate (76.3%) than Bennington (48%)

Bennington vs. University of Puget Sound Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bennington or University of Puget Sound? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between University of Puget Sound and Bennington.

  • The graduation rate at University of Puget Sound is higher than Bennington College (73% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Puget Sound earn on average $25,900 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($57,600 vs. $31,700)
  • Bennington College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Puget Sound graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Bennington graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than University of Puget Sound graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More University of Puget Sound graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/